Former 'Bachelor' winner writes of finding love

Alicia Rancilio Associated Press

Posted:
07/03/2014 11:58:09 AM EDT

Updated:
07/03/2014 12:57:01 PM EDT

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FILE - This June 24, 2014 file photo shows former "The Bachelor" winner Courtney Robertson posing for a portrait in New York to promote her book "I Didn't Come Here to Make Friends: Confessions of a Reality Show Villain." (Photo by Amy Sussman/Invision/AP, File)

NEW YORK (AP) — When Courtney Robertson appeared on ABC's dating competition series "The Bachelor" in 2012, she was quickly elevated to villain status.

Many viewers — and her fellow contestants — believed the 30-year-old model was catty, mean to the other women and couldn't be trusted. Her comments on the show were put to auto-tune and went viral. And she had to face a televised firing squad of angry contestants who wanted to air their grievances.

In the end, Robertson won winemaker Ben Flajnik's heart and a marriage proposal. They later split up, and Robertson briefly dated "Bachelorette" runner-up Arie Luyendyk Jr.

She's now sharing her story in "I Didn't Come Here to Make Friends: Confessions of a Reality Show Villain" (It Books). The book pulls back the curtain on "The Bachelor" and maintaining a relationship made on TV.

AP: Since your relationship with Flajnik didn't work out and in the book you detail the problems you had, do you feel vindicated after sharing those things?

Robertson: For me it does feel good to say, 'No, this is actually what happened.' I think people had this idea I fooled him for 11 months. To me that's idiotic. ... It was hurtful but it's not about being bitter. It's a huge part of my life story and I just had to tell the truth.

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AP: Few relationships coming out of "The Bachelor" or "The Bachelorette" have worked. Do you think it's possible to find love that way?

Robertson: If you're really ready to settle down and find love I really think it can work. ... I feel like the girls (on 'The Bachelorette') pick really well, too. ... It just takes the right couple.

AP: Do you worry that when you meet a guy now, he's going to look up the show and watch clips of you online?

Robertson: Definitely. I remember I went on a date after the dust settled and I didn't tell the guy and he had no clue. And then someone came up and said, 'Can I get a picture?' I was like, 'Oh, I was on this show. Don't Google me.' Most guys understand. It's definitely a little tricky though.

AP: What have you learned about yourself?

Robertson: I realized in writing this book, 'Oh my gosh, I'm a serial rebounder. I need to make a change.'

AP: What was Ben's reaction to the book?

Robertson: I definitely had a couple emails that were like, I hate to say, they were pretty nasty. I didn't write this book for him. I stopped making decisions with him in mind the day we broke up.

AP: There were reports that you were going to appear on the spinoff "Bachelor in Paradise." Was that true?

Robertson: I was entertaining the idea but ultimately with (promoting) the book, I just couldn't.

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